    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2004, Book III)]
    [October 29, 2004]
    [Pages 2815-2821]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks in Manchester, New Hampshire
    October 29, 2004

        The President. Thank you all. Thank you all for coming. Thanks for
    coming. We are honored you are here. Thanks for being here today. You've
    lifted our spirits. And with your help, we'll carry New Hampshire and
    win a great victory next Tuesday.
        I want to thank my friends Senator Judd Gregg
    and Kathy. I want to thank Senator
    Sununu, Congressman Bradley, Congressman Bass,
    Governor Benson--put him back in. Put Gregg
    back in too. Most of all, thank you for coming.
        Laura and I are thrilled you are here. You
    know, I'm here to tell the people of New Hampshire, you need to put me
    back in for a reason. Perhaps the most important one of all is so that
    Laura is the First Lady for 4 more years. I love her dearly. She is a
    great First Lady.
        In the final 4 days of this historic campaign, I'm taking my vision
    of a more hopeful America directly to the people of this country. That's
    what I've come to New Hampshire about, to talk about a hopeful future
    for all of us. Today, our economy is strong, and it is getting stronger.
    The tax relief we passed is working. Think about this: Homeownership
    rate is at an alltime high in America. More minority families own a home
    than ever before in our Nation's history. Our farmers are making a good
    living. The entrepreneurial spirit is strong in America.
        In the course of traveling your State, I met a lot of small-business
    owners who are making a good living because of our tax relief and
    because of their ingenuity and vision. And because they're making a good
    living, they're hiring people. We've added 1.9 million new jobs across
    this country in the last 13 months. The national unemployment rate is
    5.4 percent. Let me put that in perspective for you. That's lower than
    the average rate of the 1970s, the 1980s, and the 1990s. The
    unemployment rate in the great State of New Hampshire is 3.5 percent.
    Our economic policies are working.
        In a new term, we'll keep your taxes low. We'll reduce the
    regulations. We'll do something about these lawsuits. We will put plans
    in place to make sure the entrepreneurial spirit is strong so people can
    continue to work.
        When I campaigned in 2000, I promised to challenge the soft bigotry
    of low expectations in our public schools. I kept my word. In a new
    term, we'll stay on the path of

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    reform and results in all our schools so no child is left behind in
    America. In a new term, we'll make sure health care is more affordable
    and accessible for our families. In all we do to reform health care, we
    will make sure the health care decisions are made by doctors and
    patients, not by officials in Washington, DC. In a new term, we'll keep
    the promise of Social Security for our seniors and strengthen the system
    for our children and our grandchildren. In a new term, we'll protect
    marriage and family, which are the foundations of our society.
        And all the progress we hope to make depends on the security of our
    Nation. We face enemies who hate our country and would do anything to
    harm us. I will fight these enemies with every asset of our national
    power. We will do our duty, and we will protect the American people.
        Audience members. Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!
        The President. On September the 11th, 2001, our Nation suffered
    terrible harm, and the pain was greatest for our families of the lost.
    With us today are Ernie Strada and his wife,
    Mary Ann, who lost their son, Tom, at the
    World Trade Center. Please welcome the Stradas. The September 11th
    families will always be in our thoughts and always be in our prayers.
    This Nation must never forget their pain.
        On the day of that tragedy, I made a decision: America will no
    longer respond to terrorist murder with half-measures and empty threats.
    We will no longer look away from gathering dangers and simply hope for
    the best. We are pursuing a comprehensive strategy to fight the
    terrorist enemy and defend America. We will not relent, and we will
    prevail.
        First, we're on the offensive against the terrorist networks. The
    best way to prevent future attacks is to go after the enemy. We will
    confront the terrorists abroad so we do not have to face them here at
    home. We are waging a global campaign from the mountains of central Asia
    to the deserts of the Middle East, from the Horn of Africa to the
    Philippines. We're getting results. Since September the 11th, more than
    three-quarters of Al Qaida's key members and associates have been
    detained or killed, and the rest of them know we are on their trail.
        Secondly, we are confronting regimes that harbor terrorists and feed
    the terrorists and support the terrorists. I set a doctrine that these
    regimes are equally as guilty as the terrorists. When a President
    speaks, he must speak clearly and he must mean what he says. I meant
    what I said, and the Taliban regime in Afghanistan doubted our
    commitment. The regime is no more, and America and the world are safer.
        Third, we're confronting outlaw regimes that pursue weapons of mass
    destruction, have ties to terror, and defy the world. A lesson of
    September the 11th is we must never allow the terrorists to gain the
    world's most dangerous weapons. Saddam Hussein chose to defy the world. He doubted our resolve, and
    America and the world are safer because he is sitting in a prison cell.
    And that message was heard in Libya, which has now given up its weapons
    of mass destruction programs, and that has made America and the world
    safer.
        Fourth, we're promoting freedom and democracy in the broader Middle
    East. If 20 years from now the Middle East is dominated by dictators and
    mullahs who build weapons of mass destruction and harbor terrorists, our
    children and our grandchildren will grow up in a nightmare world of
    danger. This does not have to happen. We have a duty to protect
    ourselves and to protect future generations of Americans.
        By taking the side of reformers and democrats in the Middle East, we
    will gain allies in the war on terror, and we'll isolate the ideology of
    hatred, and we'll help defeat the despair and hopelessness that feeds
    terror. So we're helping to build free societies in Afghanistan and Iraq
    and across that troubled region. Freedom is on the

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    march, and America and the world are more secure.
        Our strategy to win the war on terror is succeeding. We are
    shrinking the area where terrorists can operate freely. We have the
    terrorists on the run. And so long as I am your President, we'll be
    determined and steadfast, and we will keep the terrorists on the run.
        Audience members. Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!
        The President. To win the war on terror, to do our duty, America
    needs an unwavering commitment to see the task through. In any war,
    there are good days and there are bad days, but everyday, you need the
    same resolve.
        When I took the oath of office 4 years ago, none of us could have
    envisioned what these years would bring. We've been through a lot
    together. My years as your President have confirmed some lessons and
    have taught me some new ones. One of the things I've learned about the
    Presidency is that whatever your strengths are, you're going to need
    them, and whatever your shortcomings are, people are going to notice
    them. [Laughter] Sometimes, I'm a little too blunt. I get that from my
    mother. Sometimes, I mangle the English
    language. [Laughter] I get that from my dad. But all the times, you know where I stand, what I
    believe, and where I'm going to lead this country.
        A President must make America's priorities absolutely clear,
    especially in our uncertain world. I've learned firsthand how hard it is
    to send young men and women into battle, even when the cause is right.
    I've been reminded that the world looks to America for leadership, and
    it is crucial for the American President to be consistent. I have
    learned a President must base decisions on principle, core convictions
    from which he will never waver. The issues vary. The challenges are
    different every day. The polls go up; the polls go down. But a
    President's convictions must be consistent and true.
        And through these 4 years, I have learned anew the enduring
    character of this great Nation. I have met exceptional men and women
    during my time as your President. I have seen their strength and their
    sacrifice, and their examples have confirmed there is no limit to the
    greatness of America. I have seen the character in people like Cheryl
    McGuinness, Debra Burlingame, and Elizabeth Kovalcin,
    who are with us today.
        Cheryl's husband, Tom, and
    Debra's brother, Charles, were both pilots
    who lost their lives on September the 11th. Elizabeth's
    husband, David, was a passenger on Flight
    11. These women have shown that hope can be found even in the worst
    tragedy. Cheryl says this: ``While those terrorists may have killed
    almost 3,000 of our husbands and wives, mothers and fathers, children
    and friends on that day, they did not take away our spirit, our hope, or
    the promise of tomorrow.'' There is hope beyond the ashes of September
    the 11th, and nobody can take that away from us.
        I've seen the character of America in people like Lisa
    Beamer and the husband she lost. Todd Beamer and
    other passengers on Flight 93 rushed those hijackers and led the first
    counterattack in the war on terror. Todd's final words captured the
    spirit of a nation. He said a prayer, and then he said, ``Let's roll.''
    Todd's dad, David Beamer, is with us today. I
    have been honored to have met Lisa as well. In terrible sadness, this
    family has been a model of grace, their own and the grace of God.
        Just over a month after her husband's death, Lisa decided to take the same Newark-to-San Francisco flight
    that Todd had taken. And she explained, ``I won't be held captive by
    fear.'' In the years to come, Lisa's words must be remembered by all
    Americans. As we fight the terrorists, they will try to frighten us.
    They will test our will by their barbaric tactics. We must be resolved.
    So long as I'm your President, we will not be held captive by fear.

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        The enemies who hit our country on September the 11th thought
    Americans would be fearful and weak. Instead, the world saw courageous
    rescuers, like New York City firefighters Michael Boyle and Tim and Tom
    Haskell, who ran toward danger. Michael's father, Jimmy, is with us today. Also with us is Ken Haskell, brother of Tim and Tom. America honors the courage of our
    first-responders. And we must always be grateful to those who carry out
    the great tradition of bravery and courage in the likes of Michael, Tim,
    and Tom.
        After September the 11th, the world saw strangers comforting each
    other and a nation united in pride and defiance. For 3 years, the people
    of this country have shown patience and purpose in the hard tasks of
    history. We've risen to great challenges, and every American can be
    proud of their country.
        I have seen the spirit of our country in those who wear our Nation's
    uniform, people like Mike McNaughton. Mike
    is a platoon sergeant from the Louisiana National Guard. He enlisted
    after September the 11th. He fought in Afghanistan and lost two fingers
    and a leg. I remember visiting Mike in the hospital. I said, ``What do
    you like to do?'' He said, ``I like to run.'' I said, ``Well, someday,
    you and I are going to run on the South Lawn of the White House.'' I
    don't know if he believed me at the time, but one day he showed up at
    the South Lawn of the White House, and we ran. I will never forget his
    determination and his courage and his sacrifice for our freedom.
        I've spoken with so many of our people in uniform, from bases across
    America to a Thanksgiving in Baghdad. And I know their courage and their
    honor. They have fought our enemies with skill. They have treated the
    innocent with kindness, and they have delivered millions from
    oppression.
        I have returned the salute of the wounded who told me they were only
    doing their duty. I've tried my best to comfort the families of the lost
    who told me to honor their loved ones by completing the mission. Like
    the men of Normandy and Iwo Jima before them, another great generation
    is serving America today, and our Nation is proud to stand with them.
        All Americans must always remember the debt this Nation owes to the
    men and women who defend us. Those who wear the uniform are people of
    great character and service and duty and honor. We are thankful. And as
    we remember those who wear the uniform today, we must always remember
    the veterans who have set such a good example for today's men and women.
    And we are grateful to our military families for their sacrifice. And as
    long as I am the Commander in Chief, I assure you, we will keep our
    commitment we have made to our troops and their families. They will have
    the resources they need to complete their missions. As America saw on
    the $87 billion supplemental request, when I say something, I mean it.
        We are not in this war alone. We must remember, our cause has been
    joined by many great nations and strong leaders. I've seen the
    determination of allies like Prime Minister Tony Blair of Great Britain. The Prime Minister and I come from
    different political backgrounds and traditions, yet we share a clear
    understanding of the threat we face and our duty to defeat it. I
    remember a phone call I had with Prime Minister Blair on a Sunday
    morning early last year. I called him when he was facing a political
    crisis at home. I told him I wanted him as an ally, but if politics was
    such that he could not commit British troops to combat in Iraq, I would
    understand. The Prime Minister replied that he believed our cause was
    right, and because it was right, Britain would join us. He said, ``I am
    with you, and I mean it.'' That day I heard the spirit of Winston
    Churchill in the Prime Minister of Britain.
        More than 90 countries share this commitment in the war on terror,
    because they understand this is civilization's fight. All 26

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    NATO nations have personnel in Iraq, Afghanistan, or both. And 14 of the
    countries that have joined our coalition in Iraq have lost forces in our
    vital work. In the war on terror, America has led; many have joined; and
    America and the world are safer.
        We must always remember the steadfast conviction of our good allies.
    Their contributions and their sacrifice must never be dismissed or
    denigrated. They have earned the gratitude of the American people. In a
    new term, in order to secure America, I will continue to work with our
    allies. We will strengthen our alliances. But I will never turn over
    America's national security decisions to leaders of other countries.
        As the President, I've also seen the spirit of the people we have
    liberated. I will never forget the day when seven Iraqi men came into
    the Oval Office. Coming into the Oval Office can be sometimes a awe-
    inspiring experience. It's a magnificent shrine to democracy. They came
    in--they had all had their right hands cut off by Saddam
    Hussein. They had had their hands cut off
    because his currency had been devalued and he needed a scapegoat. These
    men had been discovered in Iraq, had been flown to America to get a
    prosthesis, a new hand.
        I told them, I said, ``Welcome to the Oval Office. As we helped
    secure liberty in your country, we'll make sure--and you need to make
    sure--the institutions are bigger than the people who occupy the
    offices.'' That's certainly the case of the Oval Office. The institution
    of the President is always bigger than the person. I told them that by
    having the institutions bigger than the people, never again will
    somebody be able to pluck them out of society and arbitrarily cut off
    their right hands.
        I will never forget the moment when one of those Iraqi men grabbed a
    Sharpie and in his new hand that he was just learning to use, slowly
    wrote out in Arabic a prayer for God to bless America. America should
    always be proud that our country remains the hope of the oppressed and
    the greatest force for good on this Earth.
        Just last month, I welcomed Iraq's Prime Minister Allawi to the White House. For decades, he was a fearless
    critic of Saddam Hussein. As a matter of
    fact, in 1978, a team of assassins sent by the dictator attacked Dr.
    Allawi and his wife with axes and nearly killed him. He is a courageous
    man. Saddam Hussein knows the man he tried to murder is the leader of a
    free Iraq. Prime Minister Allawi is now confronting the enemies of
    freedom with strong determination. In the Rose Garden, he said that his
    nation would fight the terrorists in Iraq, room to room and house to
    house, so that the people of Iraq would never again have to live in
    tyranny.
        Our mission in Iraq is clear. We are helping Iraq's new Government
    train armies and police forces and security forces so they can do the
    hard work of defending their freedom, so they can stand up and fight the
    terrorists who are trying to stop the advance of liberty. We'll help
    Iraq get on the path to stability and democracy as quickly as possible,
    and then our troops will come home with the honor they have earned.
        The will of the Iraqis is strong, and their dream for freedom is
    moving forward. The terrorists are brutal and cruel. Yet everyday, Iraq
    and coalition forces are defeating the enemy's strategic objectives. The
    enemy in Iraq wants to establish terrorist bases from which to operate.
    We are on the offensive. We are denying them sanctuary. The enemy wants
    to intimidate Iraqis from joining the security forces, yet more 100,000
    Iraqi soldiers and police and border guards are bravely serving their
    country. The enemy seeks to disrupt the march toward democracy, but
    Iraqis are preparing for free elections on schedule this coming January.
    The violent acts of a few will not divert Iraqis or our coalition from
    the mission we have accepted. Iraq will be free. Iraqis will be secure.
    And the terrorists will fail.

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        The Afghan people are also showing their character. The terrorists
    did everything they could to stop this month's elections, but the will
    of the Afghan people was more powerful than the hatred of the killers.
    Millions of Afghans lined up at the polls. The first vote in the
    Presidential election--the first voter was a 19-year-old woman. Imagine what the Taliban would have said about that.
    [Laughter]
        The new President, Hamid Karzai, is a
    brave, respected leader who traveled southern Afghanistan by horseback
    to rally forces against the Taliban. Three years ago, his country was
    the training camp of Al Qaida. Now it is a democracy, a friend of
    America, and an ally in the war on terror.
        By acting in Afghanistan and Iraq, we removed threats. We're making
    our country safer. We are also living up to the highest calling of our
    history. We're the Nation that freed Europe and lifted up former enemies
    in Germany and Japan. And we gave hope to captive peoples behind the
    Iron Curtain. The liberation of more than 50 million people in our time
    is a noble achievement, and every American can be proud of that
    achievement.
        We must always remember the principles of our founding and the hope
    that our country has brought to the world. As long as I'm your
    President, this Nation will stand for freedom and stand by our friends
    and never cut and run. I believe everybody wants to be free. Freedom is
    not America's gift to the world; freedom is the Almighty God's gift to
    each man and woman in this world.
        These experiences have helped shape my view of the world and the
    kind of leader I am. And one of the most powerful and defining
    experiences took place on September the 14th, 2001. George Howard, an
    officer with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, was off-duty
    on September the 11th. But when he learned the news, he went right to
    the Twin Towers. He died trying to save others. On that day of September
    the 14th, I met his mom, Arlene, who is with
    us today. She gave me George's police shield. She asked me not to forget
    the fallen. I carry Shield Number 1012. I will never forget the fallen.
    God bless you, Arlene.
        Time passes, but we must always remember the enemy that kills
    without shame or mercy. I will always remember the men in hardhats at
    Ground Zero shouting at me at the top of their lungs, ``Whatever it
    takes.'' My determination has not faded since that day. My determination
    is wrong--strong. I will never relent in defending America, whatever it
    takes.
        We have come so far. We've accomplished so much. Yet, our work is
    not finished. All of us are part of a great historic endeavor. We will
    lead our country through a time of danger. We will build a world of
    freedom and peace beyond the war of terror. I know we'll succeed. I know
    the character of the American people.
        The polls open in Manchester at 6 a.m. on Tuesday. For a safer
    America, for a stronger America, and for a better America, I ask the
    people of New Hampshire to vote for me.
        God bless you, and God bless America. Thank you all.

    Note: The President spoke at 10:56 a.m. at the Verizon Wireless Arena.
    In his remarks, he referred to Kathleen MacLellan Gregg, wife of Senator
    Judd Gregg; Gov. Craig Benson of New Hampshire; former President Saddam
    Hussein of Iraq; Prime Minister Tony Blair of the United Kingdom; Prime
    Minister Ayad Allawi of the Iraqi Interim Government; and President
    Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan.

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